Brooke Cersosimo
Original Content Editor | NFL.com
Women are rising up the ranks throughout professional football, earning positions of power in a space that for too long was ruled almost exclusively by men. We're seeing more and more women breaking barriers in the sport, but what are the stories beyond the headlines? Who are the women shaping and influencing the NFL today? Answering those questions is the aim of the Next Woman Up series. While the conversational Q&As are edited and condensed for clarity, this is a forum for impactful women to share experiences in their own words. Without further ado, we introduce:
Gayle Benson, New Orleans Saints
Position: Owner and ChairmanHow did you get your start in a career in football?
It started when I married my husband, Tom, in 2004, but prior to that, I ran my own successful interior design business in New Orleans. I was actually in that business for 30 years, and after we were married, Tom asked me to put all of my energy into learning the business of football so I would be prepared to lead the team if he couldn't. He was so passionate about football; he just loved the business, and he was chairman of the (NFL's) finance committee for 25 years. The love he had for the NFL was infectious, and because I loved him so much, I wanted to do what he wanted to do and became just as excited about it.
As a side note, he owned an arena football team at that time, and going to a game was our first real date. Once I saw that and got involved in it, I just thought it was the best thing I had ever seen. I just became a real football person ever since.
As the owner of the New Orleans Saints, can you explain what your job entails?
My primary job is to provide the resources and support to our team and staff to give us the best chance to win. I believe, as Tom did, that the first rule of leadership is to show up and be accountable. I'm in the office every day, which I love, and I enjoy mingling with the coaches, players and staff, and [addressing] any challenges or needs that they have to help them prepare to win our games.
As an organization, it's also important that we embrace the responsibility we have to lead, inspire and unite our community, and I try to do that leading by example. ...
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